Beijing has denounced the exercises as destabilizing and warned against provocations over Taiwan

China has vehemently condemned joint US-Philippines military drills that kicked off on Monday, accusing Manila of colluding to undermine regional stability and provoke tensions over Taiwan.

The 2025 Balikatan exercise, which started on April 21 and runs through May 9, involves around 14,000 troops from the US and the Philippines along with contingents from Australia and Japan. Several other countries have sent observers.

The drills include live-fire training, amphibious landings, aerial surveillance, and a simulated island defense operation near the Luzon Strait, close to Taiwan. Fighter jets, warships and an array of weaponry including a US Marine anti-ship missile system will also be involved in the "full-scale battle scenario," American and Filipino military officials have said.

At a press conference on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun slammed the exercise, stating that while the international community is facing "the impact of unilateralism, protectionism, bullying, and hegemony... drills like the Balikatan undermine regional peace.

"The Philippines, in collusion with countries outside the region... has undermined regional strategic stability, damaged the region's economic growth prospects, and openly stood in opposition to regional countries," the spokesman said.

Guo went on to condemn the use of the Taiwan issue as an excuse to strengthen regional military deployment and provoke tension and confrontation, stressing that the matter is "purely China's internal affairs."

"Those who play with fire will get burned," Guo cautioned.

Taiwan has governed itself since 1949, when nationalist forces retreated to the island after losing China's civil war. Beijing maintains that Taiwan is part of China and has opposed any form of foreign involvement in the issue. Only a handful of nations currently recognize the island's sovereignty, and most of the world, including Russia, adheres to Beijing's One China policy.

While Washington also officially recognizes Taiwan as part of China, it has nevertheless maintained unofficial relations with the government in Taipei and has supplied billions of dollars' worth of weapons to the self-governing island over the years.

(RT.com)